How to access a Mecaflex shutter for servicing

Recently I was asked to repair a Mecaflex for another collector. The camera presented as completely jammed, the film advance lever would not move, the shutter release button could not be pressed.As it happens the main fault was that the shutter release button and shaft were gummed up with dried-out lubricants, and the release was actually stuck in the down position. This prevented the film advance stroke from being completed.Apart from this problem, which was soon remedied, it was apparent that the shutter needed servicing as well.

The Mecaflex uses a variant of AGC Prontor Reflex shutter. Like all leaf-blade shutters it will need servicing from time to time.

To access the shutter first the chrome front housing needs to be removed.There is no need to remove any of the leatherettes.

Remove the lens.

Unscrew the flash synch terminal from the top-right side of the shutter housing.

Remove the grub screws at either side of the top cover hinge.

Push out the hinge pin.

Lift off the top cover.

Remove the two screws holding the name ring on the shutter.

Lift off the name ring and shutter-speed ring.

Remove the screw holding the flash synch switch lever in place and lift off lever.

Remove the camera back.

Remove two black screws from the film cassette chamber.

At the front, remove the single screw at the upper right of the front of the shutter housing, just below the flash synch lever position.

Carefully lift the chrome housing off leaving the shutter in place.

Note the chrome pin passing through at the bottom-right of the shutter assembly, to the left half-way up in this picture, this has a slot machined in it, and the slot engages a lever in the bottom of the camera.

The complex flash synch mechanism has wires running across the bottom of the shutter, remove the two small screws to free the wire and allow it to be lifted over the brass bracket.

On the right-hand side the shutter engages the brass shutter release lever, and the flash synch wire passes around the outside of the release lever. This wire sits in a groove machined in the camera body housing, take note for when you are reassembling the camera.

The shutter should be lift out towards the top of the camera to disengage the cocking ring with the gear at the base of the camera.

Once free of the camera body, the shutter is a fairly typical Prontor type, with the added complexity of the cocking ring.

The shutter can be stripped down and cleaned in the normal manner. Reassembly is just a matter of reversing the disassembly process.

Timing the action of the shutter cocking with the film advance/mirror system is straight-forward, with no obvious secrets involved.If you are planning on servicing the shutter on a Mecaflex, then I suggest you take your own photos as you go as guide to the positioning of all components.